Over the past decade, urban communities have experienced unprecedented social, economic, and political transformation. Globalization and de-industrialization have contributed to the exodus of jobs, produced higher levels of inequality, and consequent, furthered marginalization of the urban poor. Urban youth have been particularly affected by this transformation. The failure of urban school districts and the lack of jobs, health services and effective prevention and intervention programs have placed large numbers of low-income urban youth at risk. In the absence of policies and institutions that respond to the needs of youth, a climate of fear focused particularly on responding to fears of youth crime has also shaped a national consciousness about urban communities and the youth within them.

Urban Youth and Community Change brings together work by leading scholars who study urban youth and who have a grounded knowledge of the issues they face. A commitment to social justice and equity is a unifying theme for this volume, and each of the authors examines to varying degrees how such values and commitments can be incorporated into public policy. The goal of this edited volume is to draw on the knowledge and expertise of these scholars from various academic disciplines and to share with policymakers and the general public insights into the impact of punitive/zero tolerance policies on young people's educational experience and well being. These chapters also offer new ideas about how to support youth placed at risk by deteriorating circumstances in urban areas and offers recommendations on how to create more humane and responsive youth policies at the local, state and federal level.</P>